Waters Whipple Braman
Letters, 1862-1865

SC12780

Gift: James L. Braman, July 1953; accretion: letters of Margaret J. Getty to W.W. Braman, gift of James B. Bridge, March 2012

Administrative Note:

A document in this collection was recovered in 2008 by the Office of New York State Attorney General. This document has been returned to the collection and noted by an asterisk (*) in the inventory list below.

Processed By:

Fred Bassett, Senior Librarian, Manuscripts and Special Collections, August 2011; revised March 2012

Biographical Note:

Waters Whipple Braman was born in Troy, New York, on April 20, 1840, the son of Horace and Caroline E. (Whipple) Braman. When his mother passed away while he was quite young, he went to live with his uncle, Waters W. Whipple, also of Troy. After completing his education in Troy public schools, he embarked on a career in the lumber business. In 1860, he became a partner in the firm Belknap & Braman. The outbreak of the Civil War led him to close out his business interests in the autumn of 1861 and join the Army. He enlisted for three years’ service on December 7, 1861, and was mustered in January 24, 1862, as first lieutenant, Company C of the 93rd New York Infantry Regiment. This regiment was made up largely of skilled riflemen and sharpshooters. He was promoted in rank to captain, April 4, 1864, of Company H of the 93rd Regiment, which was part of the Third Division of the Second Army Corps, Army of the Potomac. He mustered out of service January 14, 1865, with the rank of brevet major of New York State Volunteers. Soon after, he returned to West Troy (Watervliet), New York, to resume his career in the lumber business, joining the firm founded by his uncle, W.W. Whipple & Company. Later, he became manager of the Kearslake Flouring Mill. He became involved in politics and government, serving in the New York State Assembly (1874-1875, 1879) and Senate (1880-1881). In 1891, he moved to Québec to manage a lumber mill. He was married, October 26, 1865, to Margaret (“Maggie”) Jane Getty. They had at least 5 children. Waters W. Braman died December 8, 1893 in Trois Rivières, Québec.

Scope and Content Note:

This collection consists chiefly of letters Waters Whipple Braman sent to members of his family and to his fiancée, Margaret (“Maggie”) Jane Getty, describing his experiences in the military service during the Civil War. His military service began in January 1862 at Camp Rathbone (Albany, N.Y.), where the regiment was organized and he received his commission. In February he was stationed on Rikers Island, near New York City, where, he tells his cousin Emma, the troops will be issued Redfield rifles, which he considered to be good quality. His regiment arrived in “Dixie” about March 9, according to the letter he wrote to his uncle from Camp Crocker, near Washington, D.C. By the end of March, the 93rd Infantry had been dispatched to the Hampton Roads region of Virginia, where it was encamped near Yorktown until mid-May. During this time, he wrote about the regiment having been engaged in a number of skirmishes with Confederate troops during the Battle at Williamsburg. Thereafter, Braman was encamped along the James River for much of the summer of 1862 in anticipation the Union Army would make a move on Richmond, which never came to pass.

In early September 1862 he wrote to his uncle from aboard the steamer Nantasket regarding the journey he and his fellow soldiers had taken up Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River to Washington, D.C., where they disembarked with the expectation they would soon be engaged in combat with Confederate troops. Within two weeks, they were encamped near Sharpsburg, Maryland, where Braman witnessed some of the action during the Battle of Antietam. In his letter of September 18, he remarked: “More cripples and widows were made than there were inhabitants in the city of Troy.” He also mentioned that the 93rd Regiment had not been an active participant in the battle, but thought that more fierce combat was imminent and the Union Army would be victorious: “This fight will be a terrible one, and probably be a very decisive one also.”

After Antietam, the 93rd Regiment slowly made its way to Falmouth, Virginia, by late-November 1862 and remained encamped there until late-May of the following year. During this time most of his letters detail his experience of life in the officers’ quarters, which tended to be somewhat better than that of regular enlistees. On December 13, he wrote to his uncle that he sensed a battle was about to take place across the river at Fredericksburg and that he believed both sides were well armed and fortified.

By June 1863, the 93rd Regiment was on the move through northern Virginia and Maryland to take up position at the beginning of July near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The regiment was held in reserve, so Braman was not actively engaged in combat nor did he witness much of it. However, he did write on July 5: “We had an awful fight here. But thank the Lord, our Army has given the Rebels an everlasting thrashing.” Soon after, the 93rd was on the move again, making its way through Maryland into the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Apart from an occasional skirmish, there was little action for Braman to write about. Winter camp was near Brandy Station, Virginia, from about mid-November 1863 to late-April 1864.

Braman and his regiment finally were in the thick of battle in early May 1864 at Wilderness, Virginia. On May 7, he wrote: “We have been fighting for three days constantly, on very nearly the same ground the regiment has been engaged with the Rebels five times.” In the same letter he said: “I am not wounded, but have three bullet holes and one shell through my clothing, and one bullet struck my sword and bended it pretty badly, so I have five marks about me to remember the Rebs by.” The 93rd Regiment suffered a number of casualties at the Wilderness, and there were more to come in weeks to follow in battles at Spotsylvania Court House, North Anna, and Cold Harbor. In his letter of May 19 to his fiancée Maggie [Margaret] Getty, he refuted rumors about the possibility of re-enlisting for another tour of duty: “But if at the expiration of my original term, I can honorably leave the service, I shell do so, and see no reason why I cannot.” Furthermore, Braman seems to have tired of war and was much less optimistic of a quick end, although still hopeful: “If we are to have much fighting of the latest fashion, there will be neither officers [n]or men to retain. In fact it is already found necessary to consolidate regiments. I for one hope to be alive at the close of the season’s campaign, and trust by that time to see the close of this rebellion.”

The 93rd Regiment took up position near Petersburg, Virginia, about mid-June, and was encamped in the vicinity of this city for the remaining months of Braman’s tour of duty.
Serving as the regiment’s provost marshal, it was his duty to carry out orders to execute soldiers charged with desertion, a crime he believed was worthy of death. His disdain of deserters was frequently mentioned in letters he had written throughout his time of service.

Letters written during the summer and fall of 1864 indicate the 93rd regiment was primarily responsible for holding the railroad lines, and was involved in numerous skirmishes with Confederate troops. The most serious engagements were at Weldon Railroad, Deep Bottom, and Boynton Plank Road.

Braman’s political sentiments became more apparent in the fall of 1864 when he had indicated in a number of letters that he supported the re-election of Lincoln as president and other candidates on the Republican ticket, including Reuben Fenton for governor of New York State, and John A. Griswold for Congress. He also reiterated his intention and desire to come home when his time of service was done. By mid-November, he knew for certain that he could leave service on January 15, 1865. In his letter of December 15, he told his uncle that he was in good health and counting the days until he was to be discharged. On January 17, 1865, Braman wrote from Kirkwood House in Washington, D.C., that he was awaiting settlement of his account and the issuance of his discharge certificate. It was probably mid-February 1865 before Braman finally arrived home.

In essence this is a fine collection of letters, in terms of their completeness and quality of content. Braman’s propensity to record his experiences in detail and at length is excellent. The letters chronicle the history of the 93rd New York Volunteers since he recounts many details of battles and campaigns in which his regiment participated, which included Antietam, Williamsburg, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna River, Cold Harbor, Deep Bottom, and Petersburg Crater. These letters also include many candid observations, comments, and anecdotes about the activities of his fellow officers as well as life in the officers’ quarters.

Note on Correspondents:

Below is a list of names of the people to whom Waters Braman had most likely addressed his letters. The full names of these people were rarely if ever stated in the letters, but census records and other sources of genealogical information were used to identify his correspondents.